2018
The University reports the number of animals that are used in research by species each year.
In 2018, the University carried out 194,174 scientific procedures involving animals. The vast majority of these involved rodents, predominantly mice and rats (79.9%), and fish (17.5%). Client-owned pet dogs were involved in studies at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies aimed at improving care for sick animals. (See: Vitamin d in study spotlight).
| Species | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Rodents | 154,922 | 79.9% |
| Fish | 33,988 | 17.5% |
| Birds | 3,691 | 1.9% |
| Agricultural species (cattle, sheep, pigs) | 1046 | 0.5% |
| Animals monitored in the wild (sheep, deer, red squirrels, golden eagles) | 447 | 0.2% |
| Frogs | 72 | <0.1% |
|
Dogs (client-owned pets taking part in studies at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies) |
8 | <0.1% |
Severity statistics
Each regulated procedure is assigned a severity which describes the animals experience.